The Swans are making quite an impression so far this season

Swansea City fans would perhaps be forgiven for feeling a little flat for much of this weekend.

Saturday's top-of-the-table clash with West Ham United wasn't without anticipation or even outright excitement, with supporters turning up in their droves for what was the Swansea.com Stadium's best attended game ever.

On another day, their team might well have taken something from a Hammers side many expect to eventually fall into the 'there-or- thereabouts-come-the-end-of-the-season' category.

The same could arguably be said of Southampton, who took advantage of possibly Swansea's worst performance of the season so far to sweep their way to a comfortable victory. To get the latest Swans news from WalesOnline in your search results, click here to add WalesOnline as a preferred source on Google

Swansea were far more competitive at the weekend, with Vitor Matos bordering on defiant as he insisted their disappointment at not taking anything from the game spoke volumes about their progress, and proved they were capable of competing with any team near the top end of this division.

As it turns out, their rivals are also starting to sit up and take notice.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo was certainly very complimentary when picking the bones of what was a hard-fought win on the day.

"Swansea is a very good team," he said.

"Vitor is doing an amazing job, the way he puts the boys to play, the way they are organised, their belief until the final moments, the problems that they create.

"We knew that it was going to be tough. It's a very tough opponent, a very good team of football.

"They are very dynamic," he added. "They have the wingers one-v-one, they have speed, they run the channel, [they have] a very good striker that always gives good mobility."

Swansea's dominance on the ball has also caught the eye, with even Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, a man who can sometimes be a little sparing with his compliments, allowing a tiny glimmer of praise to shine through when discussing his side's goalless draw at the Swansea.com Stadium earlier in the season.

“Everybody wanted to bash us over the head last week about the lack of chances that we’ve had and XGs and stuff like that, and to come here against a possession-based team that creates every week, I don’t think many teams will do what we’ve done today statistically," he said.

That assessment vindicated a prediction made by Birmingham City boss Chris Davies, who in another life may well have been the man in the hot-seat at SA1 having previously come close to being appointed having formerly served under Brendan Rodgers.

"No team in the Championship is going to come [to Swansea] and have more possession than Swansea this season - I am confident to say that," Davies said after his side's League Cup win on the first day of the season.

"Swansea to me look like a typical Swansea City side - 4-3-3, a lot of movement, difficult to contain, they have got some dangerous wingers that look threatening.

"I take a lot from our victory because it's hard [to play against them]. We tried to make it a messy game so they couldn't get into their rhythm.

"I think Swansea will be a really good team. They will cause a lot of teams problems."

'Swansea are going to be a great side to watch this season'

That final point has clearly come to pass. Swansea's best start in 103 years has been made possible by a run of seven wins in their opening 11 games.

But interestingly, it's their work without the ball that has perhaps caught the attention of the national press, many of whom are starting to look at the Swans with an intensity not previously seen since the days of the Premier League.

Dominic Akiboye, who took in the defeat to West Ham, wrote in The Times: "A 1-0 home defeat by West Ham United on Saturday exposed their limitations, but Swansea still remain top of the Championship, with enough evidence to suggest that their early form can last.

"The strongest case for Matos’ side lies in their organisation and commitment without the ball. The pressing is co-ordinated, the wingers defend as willingly as they attack and opponents have to work hard to create chances."

Doggedness out of possession has perhaps been a big factor in their defensive success so far this term. Saturday was just the eighth goal Swansea have conceded so far - the best record in the division.

But their stinginess at the back hasn't, some have argued, come at the expense of entertainment.

Naz Prenji, assessing Swansea's campaign so far for the BBC, believes the influence of former boss Jurgen Klopp, whom Matos worked under at Liverpool, has shone through at certain moments already, and has backed the Swans as a team well worth watching this season.

"You can see the hallmarks of that kind of style with a fast pressing team who are up and at their opponents from the get-go," he wrote.

"Make no mistake though, they can mix it up too as they showed at the weekend when they had to battle and come from behind at Lincoln City to seal their latest victory.

"It's been a while since a Welsh side graced the top flight and maybe just maybe that could change this season if Matos and co can continue and build on their great start to the campaign.

"Whatever happens, one thing is for sure - Swansea are going to be a great side to watch this season."

That mix of resilience and full-throttle entertainment, some argue, could be a recipe for a promotion tilt.

Indeed, Kevin Phillips, former England and Sunderland striker, believes all the ingredients are there.

“I think it’s a collective thing,” Phillips told The Football League Paper when asked what has impressed him most about the way Swansea have started the season.

“We just spoke about what it takes to get out of the league – collectively, you have to work as a unit, you have to be together, and they’ve done that. Their togetherness.

“They’ve won three games out of four already away from home, which is excellent.

“And the biggest thing is they’re spreading the goals out through the team.

“I think there have been seven different scorers, so they’re not just relying on that one player like they did last year.

“Everyone’s chipping in, and defensively they’ve looked brilliant.

“And the young lad Stephen Welsh, who’s come in since the summer, has been excellent. He’s really stepped up, and he looks like he’s been their top player so far.

“So defensively, they’ve looked solid; going forward, they’re scoring goals from everywhere.

“Believe me, if you want to get out of that league, that’s the type of attributes you need.”